Active Learning in Practice: CISTU PPE Students Engage with Social Innovation and Circular Economy

As sustainability and social innovation become central to development strategies across Southeast Asia, universities are increasingly adopting experiential learning models that connect academic knowledge with real-world challenges. Within this context, the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Thammasat University continues to integrate interdisciplinary education with community-based engagement.

On 4 March 2026, students from the Bachelor of Arts Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE — International Program) participated in an Active Learning project as part of the course CI202 Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship. The project was coordinated by Yingluck Kanchanaroek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and course instructor.

The field-based learning activity took place in collaboration with Pin Art Design Company and the community-based initiative Uncle Ree's Farm Waste Sorting Project. Through this partnership, students were able to observe how local actors transform industrial and agricultural waste into value-added products while building sustainable micro-enterprises.

The project was designed to move beyond classroom-based learning by exposing students to real-world examples of social entrepreneurship and community-driven sustainability. During the activity, students explored how industrial waste materials can be repurposed into distinctive products with both economic and environmental value. The experience also introduced them to urban farming practices, including hands-on participation in mushroom cultivation and the management of small-scale ecological farming systems.

Equally important was the opportunity to study a community-based waste management model, where collaboration among local actors forms the foundation of sustainable practice. By engaging directly with practitioners, students gained insight into how grassroots initiatives can generate environmental impact while supporting local livelihoods.

The Active Learning project reflects a broader educational philosophy within CISTU: interdisciplinary learning must connect theory with practice. By bringing together elements of environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, and community development, the activity demonstrates how social innovation can emerge from practical experimentation and local collaboration.

For students in the PPE International Program, such experiences help cultivate integrative thinking—encouraging them to analyze problems from political, economic, and social perspectives simultaneously.

#PPE #CISTU #ThammasatUniversity